Investigators found that treatment with subcutaneous and sublingual immunotherapy for patients with atopic dermatitis may effectively reduce disease severity and increase quality of life, according to a summary published in Medical Dialogues. In the new study—published by Yepes-Nuñez et al in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology—investigators examined the efficacy of the immunotherapies at protecting against aeroallergens by reviewing patient outcomes from previous trials regarding the improvement of atopic dermatitis symptoms, flares, disease severity, and quality of life. After identifying 23 randomized, controlled trials involving about 2,000 patients with atopic dermatitis, the investigators discovered that treatment with either subcutaneous or sublingual immunotherapy was positively correlated with a greater quality of life and lower disease severity. However, both immunotherapies may have been responsible for an increased risk of adverse events, with subcutaneous immunotherapy contributing to a higher risk than sublingual immunotherapy when compared to placebo—66% vs 41% and 13% vs 8%, respectively. The investigators concluded that though both immunotherapies showed promise in treating atopic dermatitis, as a result of their impact on adverse events, a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach may be required to most effectively manage the disease.
May 25, 2023